Holiday Travel Tips

Do thoughts of the fast-approaching holiday season bring a smile to your face? Or does the thought of holiday travel planning bring more stress than you care to think about? Here are some tips to help keep the "happy" in your holiday travel this year.

The Bad DateMany of us have been there – we show up with hope, only to be disappointed. No, we're not talking about your high school prom date. We are talking about the worst dates to travel during the holiday season, and coincidentally the worst dates are usually the weekend right before a holiday.1 The best days to travel? Try on the holiday itself, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years Eve.2

Book Early, Save MoneyTraveling over the holidays but not psyched about spending a ton of money on airfare? The old adage "early bird gets the worm" holds true for flight booking. It's wise to book at least a month or more in advance of your expected departure date if you want to get the best deals. A great way to simultaneously compare airfare for the best price is to use an airfare aggregator site.

Go Crazy for Carry OnLooking for ways to make your travel experience go smoothly? Try packing a carry-on for each member of the family. You'll be able to arrive at your departing gate more quickly and can avoide the hassle of waiting for your checked luggage upon your arrival. Plus, carry-on luggage often costs nothing as compared to checked luggage which can cost over $25 per bag.

Shop Online & ShipLooking forward to airport security carefully scrutinizing and even unwrapping each gift you packed in your suitcase? We didn't think so. Eliminate the hassle of traveling with gifts by doing holiday shopping online and have each item shipped to your final destination.

Lots to Lose in Parking LotsWhat one word can describe airport parking ramps during the holidays? Mayhem. If possible, have a friend drop you off at the airport to avoid congestion and delays getting to your departure gate.

Ship Gifts HomeGift giving is a great holiday tradition for many. But, once the merriment has passed, how do the gifts get back home? An option for some might be to pack an extra, empty suitcase. But why lug around the extra bulk (and pay for yet another piece of checked luggage)? Ship all of your gifts home to save you time and hassle.

Expect Delays. Travel Assistance HelpsFlights delays and cancellations. Lost luggage. The winter storm dubbed "Snomaggedon". For all these things and more, it pays to pack a travel insurance plan with 24/7 assistance services. Travel Guard's 'round-the-clock assistance can go to work on your behalf to re-book flights and hotels, book rental vehicles find lost luggage and more. Plus a travel insurance plan can cover you for things like travel delays due to inclement weather, trip cancellation/interruption, medical expense – all to help make your holiday travel a little easier. To find out more, simply ask your travel agent, call 800–826–1300 or visit www.travelguard.com.

We sensed a threat of late season snow in May

We purchased a Travel Guard policy a week before our trip because we sensed a threat of a late season snow storm in May. Sure enough, a blizzard hit the Midwest on May 1!
But, to our surprise, our plane on its way to our origination airport had a mechanical failure and a significant delay that prevented us from making our connection, and with the backlog of cancelled flights and passengers from the weather, they were unable to re-accommodate us to our destination for 3 days. So the trip was a total loss! Travel Guard was there and helped ensure that our claim was properly filed and complete. Three weeks later, a check arrived in the mail for the entire amount of our trip! We have already called several family and friends and said that a Travel Guard policy is a must for any trip. Thank you for being there to help cover our losses!

This plan provides insurance coverage that only applies during the covered trip.
You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home, and automobile insurance policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer or insurance agent or broker. Coverage is offered by Travel Guard Group, Inc (Travel Guard). California lic. no.0B93606, 3300 Business Park Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54482, www.travelguard.com. CA DOI toll free number: 800-927-HELP. This is only a brief description of the coverage(s) available. The Policy will contain reductions, limitations, exclusions and termination provisions. Insurance underwritten by National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, Pa., a Pennsylvania insurance company, with its principal place of business at 175 Water Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10038. It is currently authorized to transact business in all states and the District of Columbia. NAIC No. 19445. Coverage may not be available in all states. Your travel retailer may not be licensed to sell insurance, and cannot answer technical questions about the benefits, exclusions, and conditions of this insurance and cannot evaluate the adequacy of your existing insurance. The purchase of travel insurance is not required in order to purchase any other product or service from the Travel Retailer.

Not a resident of the United States?

Choose your country of residency to view Travel Guard around the world:

If you're a non-US resident we invite you to choose your country of residence from the menu above.

Travel Guard is the industry's leading provider of travel insurance plans for North American residents. Our travel insurance plans and assistance programs can cover you for trip cancellation, travel interruptions and delays, lost baggage and travel documents, emergency medical and health expenses, and more.

With travel insurance through Travel Guard, you'll have coverage that travels wherever you go.